30 questions every CFO should ask about software implementation costs
CAL Business Solutions announces the release of a new white paper aimed at educating accounting software buyers on ways to save money and avoid hidden costs when buying new ERP/accounting software. Companies will find sixteen buying tips and thirty cost-saving questions to ask a valued added reseller (VAR) in the free white paper, 30 Questions Every CFO Must Ask About The Cost of Accounting Software.
When companies are ready to upgrade from QuickBooks or another entry level accounting software to a midmarket system the first question is, "How much will cost?" Unlike other purchases, it's not as easy as finding a price tag on the bottom of the box. There are many variables that all factor into the total project price and software is only a small fraction of that cost.
The 28-page white paper, from CAL Business Solutions, Inc., a Connecticut Microsoft Dynamics GP partner, takes the guesswork out of determining the real cost of a complete ERP/accounting software project. While the paper uses Microsoft Dynamics GP (Great Plains) as the example, the principles apply to almost any midmarket accounting software system.
The paper is divided into 3 sections: Software, Service and Hardware. Plus 3 bonus sections including: What to Do Before the Quote, How to Pick the Right Software Partner, and Why Do ERP Projects Go Over Budget. Plus a Project Cost Worksheet for calculating expenses during the quote and proposal stage.
"Many companies focus on just the cost of the accounting software licenses and forget about the additional costs of installing and implementing the software. Plus the price of hardware, integration to others systems, converting your data, training your employees, and ongoing support costs." Says George Mackiewicz, owner of CAL Business Solutions. "We know people crave honesty and facts and we want to give them information up front to help avoid sticker shock later."
The information in the white paper is presented in plain English without having to decipher acronyms and software jargon. It can be used as a first step to educate software buyers before the software selection process or to make sure you are negotiating the best deal when ready to sign a contract.
You can download the complete white paper.
Michigan Companies Cautiously Moving Forward - This 30 Questions CFO Whitepaper will be a valuable tool!
Thanks for this helpful whitepaper! As a longstanding Microsoft Dynamics partner based in Michigan, at The TM Group (www.tmgroupinc.com), we have seen many challenging business cycles. This one is really tough! But that doesn't mean business has come to a standstill - quite the contrary. We are finding that the best organizations are digging in with a keen focus on improving their performance and profitability by 1) cutting costs and 2) improving customer service. We are seeing a real "uptick" in companies who are now seriously evaluating new accounting, ERP and CRM business software. With smaller staffs and tighter budgets, CFOs and IT managers have been charged with making sure their new systems take full advantage of the significant benefits provided by investing in the latest technologies, like Microsoft Dynamics GP and Dynamices CRM (www.tmgroupinc.com/solutions.asp) which work hand-in-hand with Microsoft SharePoint for document management and collaboration, and SRS reporting - the FREE reporting tool that comes with Microsoft SQL Server. To "do more with less" it is critical that users have easy-to-learn, familiar software to get their day-to-day jobs done quickly and effectively. We will be recommending this "30 Question" whitepaper as a valuable tool for our clients as they evaluate the costs and options. Thanks for sharing! Andree Dolan, The TM Group, andreed@tmgroupinc.com, 888-482-2864 .
Very informative and helpful
This is a well organized whitepaper that gave me the nitty gritty on software quotes and takes the mystery out of it all. Will help people be smart and avoid mistakes in the process.
If you are looking to purchase accounting software, then this paper is for YOU!
I am so glad I took the time to download this whitepaper. It is full of valuable information consumers should consider before purchasing accounting software. This is great information.
-- Bwebb Vicinity Manfacturing
I found the download very helpful for making an ERP choice
I took the time to dowload this paper and it was very thourough and answered a lot of my questions about ERP pricing. We are considering Microsoft, Sage and Netsuite for my company and this was a helpful guide.